Celebrate candlelight night prayer

Posted: November 5, 2009 - 9:48pm

Special to The Record

As part of the city's Nights of Lights opening on Nov. 21, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine will celebrate Candlelight Night Prayer, or Compline. The liturgical service will begin at 8:30 p.m. in the Cathedral. Everyone is invited.

The St. Augustine Schola Cantorae, under the direction of Mary Jane Ballou, will be a part of the service. The Schola, a group of women who have revived sacred chant and polyphony in our area, was founded in 2007. They regularly give concerts and monthly sing Evening Prayer at the Shrine of Our Lady of Nombre de Dios.

"There are thousands of people downtown enjoying the lights, the sights and sounds of the holidays," the Rev. Tom Willis, pastor of the Cathedral said. "We're hoping that this little celebration of Night Prayer will be an appropriate way to bring the evening to a close."

Night Prayer is the final liturgical service in a given day. It is the equivalent of bedtime prayer and is part of the traditional practices of many Christian religions including Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Episcopalian and Lutheran.